cycle the grand/royal canal

smacl

gzoladz wrote: »

Nice story... I am going for it this Saturday and plan to complete the Royal in 2 days.

Accommodation sorted, really looking forward to it!

Enjoy it, will be on the roads rather than the canals this weekend, but might do something similar in a few weeks time. Looking forward to hearing how you got on, maybe with a couple of pics.

What bike and tyres are you planning on?

01Surveyor

SMACL thanks for that. I look forward to reading about your Barrow experiences.
Good luck

gzoladz

Thanks all for the advise and good wishes!

Tyres are schwalbe cruiser, bike is a touring bike with front suspension. I did Dublin to Naas last weekend and the biked responded well.

I just need to decide where to join the canal, I may skip the Croke Park and Broombridge station parts due to obvious reasons, but I am also thinking that early in the morning it should be ok?

Weepsie

gzoladz wrote: »

Thanks all for the advise and good wishes!

Tyres are schwalbe cruiser, bike is a touring bike with frontt suspension. I did Dublin to Naas last weekend and the biked responded well.

I just need to decide where to join the canal, I may skip the Croke Park and Broombridge station parts due to obvious reasons, but I am also thinking that early in the morning it should be ok?

Youll have to skip croke park I think. Its been closed off since last summer as part of it was collapsing. From drumcondra on is grand, a bit of glass at the bridge past phibsboro

kip d

gzoladz wrote: »

Nice story... I am going for it this Saturday and plan to complete the Royal in 2 days.

Accommodation sorted, really looking forward to it!

Just incase you don't know some of the towpath between Coolnahay and Abbeyshrule is bog, it will test your handling skills. Enjoy there is some lovely scenery on this route.

01Surveyor

kip d wrote: »

Just incase you don't know some of the towpath between Coolnahay and Abbeyshrule is bog, it will test your handling skills. Enjoy there is some lovely scenery on this route.

This is very true. Ballymaglavy (I think) Bog is extensive and quite rough but at this time of year it shouldnt be a problem. It starts shortly after Kellys bridge about 6k after Ballncargy Harbour. The Bog Bridge is extraordinary and even more spectacular is a new development of 30+ apartments fully finished and abandoned in the Bog where the canal meets the Inny river. As a monument to Celtic Tiger folly it's pretty unbeatable. Coolnahea harbour is lovely and they serve tea and scones in the lock keepers cottage.
The advice re the towpath from Ballybough is also correct, last time I looked the towpath at Croke Park was closed though I thought it was due to reopen. The towpath from Drumcondra onwards is fine. I regularly travel the section to Ashtown and never had any problem, maybe Broombridge at night time might be a little dodgy once drinking in The 'Outside Inn' starts. I recently found a very expensive BMW motorbike in the canal at Broombridge but apart from that its just a bit scruffy and even that has been tidied up recently. After the twelfth Lock you will be entering the Deep Sounding which is the stretch that virtually bankrupted the Royal Canal Co. Apparently no one realised the extent of the rock in the area and it was only possible to form a narrow channel barely the width of a barge and they couldnt even afford to reduce the towpath level which as a result is up to 6m above the canal. The barges carried a trumpet which they blew before entering the Deep Sinking and any barge allready in it would reply so as to avoid traffic jams. Be careful on the Deep Sinking tow path parts of which are very rough because of tree roots and if you are hesitant its not hard to have a fall. This is IMO one of the nicest parts of the Royal.

gzoladz

I have created a Facebook page for updates: cycling the royal canal from Dublin to cloondara. I will try to report as i go along, feel free to like it

😊

gzoladz

01Surveyor wrote: »

This is very true. Ballymaglavy (I think) Bog is extensive and quite rough but at this time of year it shouldnt be a problem. It starts shortly after Kellys bridge about 6k after Ballncargy Harbour. The Bog Bridge is extraordinary and even more spectacular is a new development of 30+ apartments fully finished and abandoned in the Bog where the canal meets the Inny river. As a monument to Celtic Tiger folly it's pretty unbeatable. Coolnahea harbour is lovely and they serve tea and scones in the lock keepers cottage.
The advice re the towpath from Ballybough is also correct, last time I looked the towpath at Croke Park was closed though I thought it was due to reopen. The towpath from Drumcondra onwards is fine. I regularly travel the section to Ashtown and never had any problem, maybe Broombridge at night time might be a little dodgy once drinking in The 'Outside Inn' starts. I recently found a very expensive BMW motorbike in the canal at Broombridge but apart from that its just a bit scruffy and even that has been tidied up recently. After the twelfth Lock you will be entering the Deep Sounding which is the stretch that virtually bankrupted the Royal Canal Co. Apparently no one realised the extent of the rock in the area and it was only possible to form a narrow channel barely the width of a barge and they couldnt even afford to reduce the towpath level which as a result is up to 6m above the canal. The barges carried a trumpet which they blew before entering the Deep Sinking and any barge allready in it would reply so as to avoid traffic jams. Be careful on the Deep Sinking tow path parts of which are very rough because of tree roots and if you are hesitant its not hard to have a fall. This is IMO one of the nicest parts of the Royal.

Brilliant contribution, thanks a lot sharing it.

OldBean

Good luck out there today, don't know if you'll be any drier on the tow path than in the canal.

blobbie

gzoladz

Ok I am in Mullingar. It has been really difficult because of the rain and the headwind I had most of the journey, But eventually i got here.

They were 90 kilometres in total, which took me 9 hours door to door.

The surface was generally good, with 2 exceptions: the deep sinking, previously described, and about 10 km after Kilcook where the grass was quite high. That, the soft soil sure to the rain and the wind made that part the hardest by far.

The route is just beautiful. I loved it despite the rain so I can only imagine what it must be like with good weather.

Tomorrow I should continue to cloondara, but if the weather is like today, I will leave it for another time.

gzoladz

Also I got a few likes on the fb page from people that I don't know, anyone from Boards?

wanderer 22

gzoladz wrote: »

Ok I am in Mullingar. It has been really difficult because of the rain and the headwind I had most of the journey, But eventually i got here.

They were 90 kilometres in total, which took me 9 hours door to door.

The surface was generally good, with 2 exceptions: the deep sinking, previously described, and about 10 km after Kilcook where the grass was quite high. That, the soft soil sure to the rain and the wind made that part the hardest by far.

The route is just beautiful. I loved it despite the rain so I can only imagine what it must be like with good weather.

Tomorrow I should continue to cloondara, but if the weather is like today, I will leave it for another time.

Fair play for not wimping out today, you're a better man than me :-)

What type of bike are you on, I'm hoping to do it on my CX with 35mm tyres sometime during the next week , do you think it's doable without a mountain bike?

donkey balls

colm18 wrote: »

Fair play for not wimping out today, you're a better man than me :-)

What type of bike are you on, I'm hoping to do it on my CX with 35mm tyres sometime during the next week , do you think it's doable without a mountain bike?

I have cycled along the canal from Castleknock to Kilcock and back a good few times and the only time that I used the front suspension on my bike was between Castleknock & Coolmine, Due to the deep sinking and exposed roots of the trees after that section it is doable all the way to Mullingar without having to use front suspension.

gzoladz

colm18 wrote: »

Fair play for not wimping out today, you're a better man than me :-)

What type of bike are you on, I'm hoping to do it on my CX with 35mm tyres sometime during the next week , do you think it's doable without a mountain bike?

Mine is not a mountain bike. It is a sensa strada. It has front suspension though. I am not too technical so I don't know those tyres. But for your reference, my tyres are schwalbe marathon cruiser. I would not use something thiner mainly due to the grass parts and the deep sinking. It was very slippery today too.

gzoladz

Just saw the cx. I would check if anybody did it with a bike like that. I don't want to say it is not doable, but some parts will be a big struggle.

Moreilly

Fair dues to you !, i think i would have chickened out in that weather !!, spotted your FB page. Ive done parts of the Grand canal but never the Royal, can be really beautiful on a good day. always surprised that more cyclists don't use the canal routes more

01Surveyor

Gzoladz, well done, given yesterdays awful weather I was expecting that you would have put your trip off. After a very wet and windy 80k on the road this morning i was convinced that no one in their right mind would have done the trip. Now I find I was wrong. Well done I'm full of admiration for your determination. The fact that you could enjoy 90k in that weather speaks volumes for the beauty of cycling on the canals. I hope all goes well for you today.
Good luck!

gzoladz

01Surveyor wrote: »

Gzoladz, well done, given yesterdays awful weather I was expecting that you would have put your trip off. After a very wet and windy 80k on the road this morning i was convinced that no one in their right mind would have done the trip. Now I find I was wrong. Well done I'm full of admiration for your determination. The fact that you could enjoy 90k in that weather speaks volumes for the beauty of cycling on the canals. I hope all goes well for you today.
Good luck!

Thanks Sir! The weather made it much harder but it is a beautiful journey.
I did postpone today's leg as the weather was nasty in Mullingar and I was running out of dry clothes due to yesterday's weather.

Also, I realized I didn't have the right gear for such adverse conditions. A poncho raincoat works in town but for a full day on the road I need something better.

There is just one thing I would consider changing. Although I did complete the 90km, next time I would like to do it at a slower pace. And by that I mean stopping more and for longer in the lovely little villages along the way. And do a bit more of wildlife watching.

Last, I shared the highlight on the fb page, so I will share it in here. You can imagine my condition when I arrived to the b&b. The lady first remarked that I should not be cycling under the rain, and straight after treated me with home made soup and soda bread, thee and toasts with butter and jam, to complete a truly irish experience.

morana

colm18 wrote: »

Fair play for not wimping out today, you're a better man than me :-)

What type of bike are you on, I'm hoping to do it on my CX with 35mm tyres sometime during the next week , do you think it's doable without a mountain bike?

I went from the quays to Porterstown (i think) on a normal roadbike with mudguards last year. That was thru the deep sinking etc. The muck build up was quite a bit but you would expect that. Maybe a cx bike would be ok but we plan to do it again , the full length, but I would do it on an mtb tbh.

TheBody

Would anyone have a brief breakdown of the surface from Mullingar to Cloondara? For example, somebody mentioned bog outside Ballinacarrigy; how many km does this last?

01Surveyor

gzoladz wrote: »

Thanks Sir! The weather made it much harder but it is a beautiful journey.
I did postpone today's leg as the weather was nasty in Mullingar and I was running out of dry clothes due to yesterday's weather.

Also, I realized I didn't have the right gear for such adverse conditions. A poncho raincoat works in town but for a full day on the road I need something better.

There is just one thing I would consider changing. Although I did complete the 90km, next time I would like to do it at a slower pace. And by that I mean stopping more and for longer in the lovely little villages along the way. And do a bit more of wildlife watching.

Last, I shared the highlight on the fb page, so I will share it in here. You can imagine my condition when I arrived to the b&b. The lady first remarked that I should not be cycling under the rain, and straight after treated me with home made soup and soda bread, thee and toasts with butter and jam, to complete a truly irish experience.

I didnt like to say it in my last post, in case I put you off, but I think Ballymaglavy bog could have been almost impassible if they had the weather we just did in Dublin....but perhaps they have gravelled the towpath since I was last there? I think you were wise to delay the second leg, its about enjoyment not endurance.......as I have only recently appreciated.

The Body; I reckon the bog section of the tow path is no more than 2-3k at most. Its not a big deal and you could easily walk the distance to Abbeyshrule, but the surface was largely very black turf when I last did it and that would be pretty messy afetr the weather we've just had.

By the way its worth watching out for the carcass of an old canal barge which I think is on the stretch from Kellys bridge to Abbeyshrule.

01Surveyor

morana wrote: »

I went from the quays to Porterstown (i think) on a normal roadbike with mudguards last year. That was thru the deep sinking etc. The muck build up was quite a bit but you would expect that. Maybe a cx bike would be ok but we plan to do it again , the full length, but I would do it on an mtb tbh.

I met a guy on the Grand Canal a few weeks ago on a road bike. I was astonished but as the towpath was mostly gravel from Killcock to where I met him (before Gollierstown) he had done OK. However on a mountain bike I found one of the most annoying problems (apart from the odd gate and other obstruction) was grass clogging up brakes and rear mechs. I imagine it would be an even greater problem on a road bike,
I'm impressed that you negotiated the deep sinking on a road bike, your bike handling skills must be good, but it doesnt do much for the marriage prospects without suspension!

01Surveyor

Blobbie, Fantastic post! that could be the answer to completing the Green and Silver circuit which involves traveling the length of the canals and the Shannon between Richmond and Shannon Harbour - which cant be done by bike because there is no continuous riverbank path on the Shannon.....cycling the Shannon, literally, sound great.

morana

01Surveyor wrote: »

I met a guy on the Grand Canal a few weeks ago on a road bike. I was astonished but as the towpath was mostly gravel from Killcock to where I met him (before Gollierstown) he had done OK. However on a mountain bike I found one of the most annoying problems (apart from the odd gate and other obstruction) was grass clogging up brakes and rear mechs. I imagine it would be an even greater problem on a road bike,
I'm impressed that you negotiated the deep sinking on a road bike, your bike handling skills must be good, but it doesnt do much for the marriage prospects without suspension!

I watched Dick Warners program on the Canal and only realised that it was the deep sinking when I spotted a lad fishing about 20ft below me. That part is slippy mainly from roots and I had to keep one foot unclipped incase. Anyway I have some pics which I will post of the bike.

gzoladz

3 more things re previous posts:

1. Surveyor, your remark about "stop thinking about doing it and just do it" was the little pushed I needed to make the decission of going for it. Thanks for that.

2. The bike... Mine is a sensa strada. A touring bike with front suspension and "hub" Nexus 8 premium gears. Luckily I have suffered no mechanical problems and the fact that the gears are protected helped.

3. Dick Warner's documentary about the Royal is very nice. I discovered it recently and it was a great inspiration for. My bike is quite new and it hadn't got a nickname yet, but it is "rambler" since yesterday

Qualitymark

Is this front suspension thing good? I've seen it on bikes in the last few years, but have never used one with it. And if it's good, can you instal a fork on an old bike with it, or is that crazy?

RebelButtMunch

Qualitymark wrote: »

Is this front suspension thing good? I've seen it on bikes in the last few years, but have never used one with it. And if it's good, can you instal a fork on an old bike with it, or is that crazy?

Pros: It saves your wrists and arms. I was glad I had it on my canal trip for sure
Cons: It adds extra weight to the bike and when its 'engaged' it saps some of your pedal power.

Bloggsie

Pros: your not in a hurry so speed isnt a priority, if you can, get the suspension.

Qualitymark

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

Pros: It saves your wrists and arms. I was glad I had it on my canal trip for sure
Cons: It adds extra weight to the bike and when its 'engaged' it saps some of your pedal power.

Hm, sounds like I don't need it. My bike has an infuriating imbalance when it's not being ridden - when you're trying to tie it up, the front wheel and handlebars swing around and throw the whole thing off balance.

gzoladz

I assume the "suspension" debate is in the context of rising the canal... I think that no suspension will make it very uncomfortable, specially in some parts like the deep sinking or the or a few kms between Kilcook and Enfield.

I don't think the extra wait is noticeable, specially considering that you may be carrying other stuff too: water, clothes, repair kit, etc.

Anyway, I am planning to complete the second leg of my trip this weekend: Mullingar to Cloondara.

OldBean

Apart from the 2/3km of bog, is Deep Sinking still the roughest surface on the Royal? I was pretty happy taking it on with drops and no suspension, though I'd probably want better gloves to do more than I've done already.

gzoladz

The deep sinking was the most uncomfortable part because of the bumps, but the toughest part for me was the grass between Kilcook and Enfield. Really hard to make progress there.

I haven't cycled through the bog yet, planning that part for this weekend.

TheBody

gzoladz wrote: »

The deep sinking was the most uncomfortable part because of the bumps, but the toughest part for me was the grass between Kilcook and Enfield. Really hard to make progress there.

I haven't cycled through the bog yet, planning that part for this weekend.

I'm really interested to hear how you get on this weekend. I'm hoping to cycle from Mullingar to Cloondara (maybe next week).

donkey balls

gzoladz wrote: »

The deep sinking was the most uncomfortable part because of the bumps, but the toughest part for me was the grass between Kilcook and Enfield. Really hard to make progress there.

I haven't cycled through the bog yet, planning that part for this weekend.

I have a hard tail MTB so the deep sinking was not really a problem any time I cycle out as far as Kilcock,But you are 100 % spot on regarding the section between Kilcock & Enfield when I cycled to Mullingar I thought I would never finish that section.
I am thinking of doing the whole canal in the one day but I might cycle out to Mullingar again to see if I can improve on my last time of 5 hrs.

gzoladz

I will advise how I get on on Saturday on boards and the fb page. I need to organize logistics too, given that I will start in Mullingar I am drive there instead of taking the train, will see.

Looking forward to complete it!

donkey balls

When I got the train from Mullingar back to Dublin it was €19.40 one way a return ticket was €20.40, Depending on the price of a return ticket you could get a return ticket to Longford and on the outbound journey get off at Mullingar.

gzoladz

donkey balls wrote: »

When I got the train from Mullingar back to Dublin it was €19.40 one way a return ticket was €20.40, Depending on the price of a return ticket you could get a return ticket to Longford and on the outbound journey get off at Mullingar.

Thanks, I checked and it is eur 26 return to Longford and 12 one way Longford Mullingar so I may drive to Mullingar, cycle, train, and drive back... Will see, hope the weather is good to me tomorrow.

gzoladz

Mullingar - Cloondara completed

At the end I drove to Mullingar, cycled from there and took the train back.

I was fortunate enough to have only a few showers and nice weather in the second half of the trip. Much better than the non stop rain of last week.

The surface on average is more difficult than what I faced last week. There are many parts without a proper path, just grass. And the jewel of the crown are the 2 or 3 kms on the bog, just before Abbeyshrule. It was extremely hard to progress there.

Another highlight is the house just before Ballymahon. There is a fence where you actually have to lift your bike over (like many others)...so I stopped there for a brief rest and I saw a banner: "beware of the bull"... And 10 seconds later, the bull walking towards me. I didn't stay to find out if that was the bull I had to be beware of, so I crossed the fence at the speed of the light...just keep your eyes open in that part!

In summary, lovely trip. Quite hard in parts, but very enjoyable.

I will start planning the Grand now...give it a go, and let me know if you have any question.

OldBean

Followed your photos on FB, looked great.

TheBody

How long did today's cycle take?

01Surveyor

gzoladz wrote: »

Mullingar - Cloondara completed

At the end I drove to Mullingar, cycled from there and took the train back.

I was fortunate enough to have only a few showers and nice weather in the second half of the trip. Much better than the non stop rain of last week.

The surface on average is more difficult than what I faced last week. There are many parts without a proper path, just grass. And the jewel of the crown are the 2 or 3 kms on the bog, just before Abbeyshrule. It was extremely hard to progress there.

Another highlight is the house just before Ballymahon. There is a fence where you actually have to lift your bike over (like many others)...so I stopped there for a brief rest and I saw a banner: "beware of the bull"... And 10 seconds later, the bull walking towards me. I didn't stay to find out if that was the bull I had to be beware of, so I crossed the fence at the speed of the light...just keep your eyes open in that part!

In summary, lovely trip. Quite hard in parts, but very enjoyable.

I will start planning the Grand now...give it a go, and let me know if you have any question.

Well done, glad to hear you enjoyed the trip.
How do I find your Facebook Page?

TheBody

01Surveyor wrote: »

Well done, glad to hear you enjoyed the trip.
How do I find your Facebook Page?

Put "Cycling the Royal Canal Way - Dublin to Cloondara" into the search bar in facebook and you should find it.

gzoladz

Link to page below
https://m.facebook.com/Rycgz

Today's trip took just below 5 hours including stops. There was much more grass than expected, and between that and the bog, today's 60km were harder on my knees than last week 90 km's

Qualitymark

Letter in The Irish Times today:

http://www.irishtimes.com/debate/letters/canals-and-towpaths-1.1904071

Sir, – Those of us who patronise the southside towpath on the Grand Canal between Locks 33 (Belmont) and 34 (Clononey) – and, I believe, elsewhere – would willingly accept the rejected hard-surface towpath proposed for the Barrow (“Olivia O’Leary leads campaign to save grassy towpath”, August 19th).
It would mean that we could walk the stretch in all weathers and not just when the sun has dried out sufficiently the marshy bits, often further cut up by four-wheel-drive vehicles, most of them on unofficial business. It might discourage waterways operatives from leaving rotting canal undergrowth on the bank during their occasional purges. It might even encourage them to find somewhere else to dump the dredged muck from canal deepening efforts, with its resulting proliferation of noxious weeds.
It might prompt them to replace indiscriminate strimming along the banks with more careful mowing of the broader surface. And it would certainly lighten the grim countenances of the occasional cycling tourists we meet, who cannot believe the condition of what has been promoted as a world-class natural resource and attraction. – Yours, etc,
DENIS BERGIN,
Ballyshane Cottage,
Shannon Harbour,
via Birr, Co Offaly.

cdaly_

I'll be cycling this on Sunday. Not the whole thing, just a 200k audax covering the Grand from Lucan to Edenderry where we turn north to pick up the Royal for the return.


200k on a Carrera Subway!... :eek:

Alek

Arrgh, for health reasons I'm off the bike in general, not to mention Audax events! I was really looking forward to this one... :mad::(

01Surveyor

cdaly_ wrote: »

I'll be cycling this on Sunday. Not the whole thing, just a 200k audax covering the Grand from Lucan to Edenderry where we turn north to pick up the Royal for the return.


200k on a Carrera Subway!... :eek:

How did you get on?

blobbie

He survived.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=91888323&postcount=4732

Sounds like a good loop - might give it a pop myself in the next few weeks but will throw in a pit-stop.

smacl

01Surveyor wrote: »

How did you get on?

Also be really interested in hearing how this one went; duration, conditions, difficulty versus a road 200 etc... Looked fun

Took the grand canal from town to the Leinster aqueduct myself over the weekend, and again really enjoyed it but found the going much slower than the road. ~12-16kph on the grassy sections and that was dry.